How Would You Play this Shot?

[colin007]

So after hooking my tee shot on a par 3, I find myself looking at this. About 20 yards left of the green, the green downhill from me and then sloping further away from me. Zoom in to see how the ball is completely on top of that bark.

[saevel25]

Pray to whatever god you believe in and hope it doesn't do something stupid 

 

[Piz]

I'd try a soft, open-faced, pitch and think about jarring it.  I'd try to utilize the bounce by coming down on top of the bark.  And I would arrange that suitable refreshment be provided, in due course, should success ensue.

[woodzie264]

Right or wrong, I'd open the club face and play it like a long greenside bunker shot.  Not sure I'd beat myself up over the outcome regardless of how it turned out. 

I had this lie a few years ago and hit it to 30 yds of the green 200yds out.The joys of the game!

[Rainmaker]

20 yards away from the green which rolls downhill?  I'd tap it with my 4w  - just hard enough to make it to the fringe and hope it didn't roll off. 

[Patch]

I'd probably copy an open face , sand shot, and hope for the best. Maybe use a PW, even a 9i. Maybe call it a flop shot. I am pretty good with an open face shot off that kind of lie. Just a knack I have. 

[David in FL]

I'd have to see the the actual 20 yard approach, but a putter is a likely option.  

Failing that, it's a bunker type explosion...

[pganapathy]

One of two options.  A punch shot or a sand/flop shot.  Depends on what is there between the ball and the green and where the pin is.

[Groucho Valentine]

If there wasn't a hazard of death bunker between me and the green, I would've put the ball back in my stance and try to chase it up there with a 6 or 7 iron. If i had to fly it, just a typical 20 yard pitch with my 58.  The bark in itself would have been irrelevant to me as far as playing the shot goes. Its not between the club and the ball. 

[colin007]

I forgot to mention that there is a bunker in between.

Basically, I tried to hit it like a bunker explosion shot, but I weakassed on the way down, flubbed it, short even of the bunker, pitched on, two putt, 5, went home and kicked my goldfish.

[billchao]

Interesting lie. I kind of wonder what kind of result a low spinner would produce. For some reason I look at that lie and I'm thinking I don't want to come in shallow and catch that bark so I'd probably come in steeper and try to catch the ball clean.

I might have to replicate it sometime and try it.

[dave s]

half-way open SW, pretend the tree bark isn't there. Pray. Swing.

So, please tell us what actually happened with that rather unfortunate lie.

dave

[boogielicious]

5 hours ago, David in FL said:

I'd have to see the the actual 20 yard approach, but a putter is a likely option.  

Failing that, it's a bunker type explosion...

I was thinking a similar approach with a hybrid or fairway. Just pop it off the bark. 

[DrvFrShow]

Take out my 64*, Play the ball mid-stance and come down steep hoping to have it check up on the green.

[mdl]

1 hour ago, dave s said:

half-way open SW, pretend the tree bark isn't there. Pray. Swing.

So, please tell us what actually happened with that rather unfortunate lie.

dave

 

This is my original thought too.  Thinking is that in general a messy lie you want a harder swing to get through to the ball.  But this isn't deep grass or dirt.  The bark might not conform with more speed.  It might just hit it whatever weird direction it was gonna spray off but even harder because you're swinging harder.  Might it actually be better, in terms of expected distance from the hole, to hit whatever is the lowest shot you think you could reliably get over the bunker but keep on the green with a relatively high percentage?  As in, minimize your swing speed rather than maximize?

[RH31]

I'd play it the same way I play a pitch shot from the fairway, except there will be no spin on the ball so I'd land it short and allow for run out.

Ball in middle of stance, up right shaft angle, slide the 56* along the ground, commit to the shot.

[Pretzel]

With the bunker between you and the hole it seems a bunker explosion might be the best play. Anything where you try to pick the ball cleanly off the bark opens you up to a large risk of blading it. A bunker style shot will let you get the height and distance you need, even if the bark might cause it to go slightly sideways when you wedge goes under it.

[natureboy]

I'd be in the 'explosion' camp with a lower lofted wedge (GW / PW) since it looks from the photo that there's a little piece of the bark sticking up in the back.

If that little bit of bark in the back is actually below the equator of the ball, I might try to nip it clean with a chip / leading edge pitch.

Edited July 25, 2016 by natureboy